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Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Enterprise and Innovation, Maurice Quinlivan TD has welcomed the move by the GAA to stop the sale of tickets at above face value prices.

Deputy Quinlivan, who has legislation advancing through the Oireachtas to ban ticket touting, accused Fine Gael TD Noel Rock of being hypocritical on the issue as his party joined with Fianna Fáil to delay his bill by nine months.

Speaking today, the Limerick City TD said;

“The problems around ticket touting are continuing to affect sporting and entertainment events across Ireland. The GAA are the most recent organisation to take steps to prevent over-priced tickets being sold for their upcoming matches. I welcome their action very much.

“The Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill 2017 ensures that ordinary people who need to re-sell their ticket for genuine reasons would be facilitated, by allowing for the secondary resale of tickets with a maximum profit margin of 10%. The selling of tickets above this cap would not be permitted, with fines of up to €5,000 for breaches of the legislation. It also includes an exemption for charities.

“In May, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael voted to kick this bill down the road for nine months, for absolutely no reason, and so it is hypocritical of Noel Rock and Fine Gael to now say we need solutions to the problem of ticket touting.

“Sinn Féin’s solution was put before the Dáil and both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil voted to delay it.”